Rain showers fail to dampen the resilient spirit of the NRHS Class of 2023

 

 

By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — North Reading High School’s 66th graduating class and their guests experienced three seasons of weather in a two-hour period   before, during and after Friday evening’s Commencement Exercises.

But they took it all in stride for they have come to understand how fortunate they are simply to be together, and it was their wish to hold their commencement outdoors. Their mentors – be they faculty, custodial staff, administrators, class advisors or musical directors – were determined to give the Class of 2023 the traditional send-off from NRHS that they yearned for and that was worthy of their accomplishments.

With a 30% chance of rain showers between 4-5 p.m. on Friday, Principal Anthony Loprete emailed an early afternoon memo to all families noting the school’s intention to host an outdoor ceremony on Arthur J. Kenney Field. He advised attendees to come prepared with umbrellas, rain jackets and yes, even towels just in case they’d need to dry off their bleacher seats. He also included a detailed contingency plan if a heavy rain were to delay or interrupt the exercises.

Well, the rain did arrive just prior to the ceremony. But once it had ended, the custodial staff used leaf blowers and towels to quickly wipe down more than 200 chairs on the field for students and staff. The diplomas were kept indoors until the last possible moment, and canopies had previously been set up to protect the band and chorus members, and their equipment and instruments, from the elements.

When the Class of 2023 emerged from Jon Bernard Way and stepped onto the track – led by Class Marshals Annalise Butler and Matthew Guidebeck while the band enthusiastically played “Pomp and Circumstance” – the rain had subsided but the clouds lingered and it was chilly. As they stepped onto Arthur J. Kenney Field, the skies began to brighten. By the time the entire class had been seated and the custodians delivered the boxes of diplomas by golf cart to the table at the 50-yard line, the sun was shining brightly, instantly increasing the temperature to a more seasonable June day and casting a golden glow upon the graduates attired in their traditional green robes. By the time the Class of 2023 had tossed their caps into the air, the sun had already set and the temperature dipped yet again to “sweater weather.”

There is no doubt that the resiliency of the Class of 2023 to rise above adversity was shaped by their unique high school experience that began with the abrupt interruption of their freshman year caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by their division into cohorts to facilitate hybrid remote and in-person schooling during their sophomore year, and finally being reunited junior year, but still masked. Senior year was their only full year not impacted by regular virus testing and masking.

 

 

The unified and caring nature of this class was a recurring theme throughout evening, beginning with the address by Principal Anthony J. Loprete III, who proudly re-told the story of NRHS’s status of being named a Unified Champion School by the Special Olympics due to the tireless work by the students, the Student Council and staff to create inclusive events, such as a Unified Basketball team and hosting the regional Unified Bocce Tournament. “I quickly ordered some signs to post in the school to recognize this achievement and to honor the commitment of our students to make our school a place where all students feel like they belong,” he said.

“Little did I know then that the title of champion was going to develop into a consistent theme for the entire school year. The members of the senior class sitting in front of you today can proudly share that in this school year the term champion would be repeated FIVE more times,” Loprete said.

Loprete credits the staff at NRHS with effectively balancing knowledge and action in their chosen profession and their ability to pass on this skill to their students as the key to their overall success. “Knowledge or action? To balance the two is the key to success. Knowledge and action; two immensely powerful terms as they stand alone, each essential as we live our lives. But if we can effectively link the two…I believe that it is exactly this point that the members of the Class of 2023 have been so adept at demonstrating for us during their four years at the high school. They have done an amazing job of blending knowledge and action, and so many of them have the accolades and hardware to prove it. The symbiosis between knowledge and action should be the goal for us all,” he said.

At the end of his speech, he asked the students who were members of championship programs in the arts or sports teams to stand. But he also applauded all those who supported these accomplishments, be they cheering from the sidelines or the hallways of the school, noting that their actions “helped unify us.” One by one the students stood up. But not all had. To solidify his point that each student had a role to play in the successes of their peers, he said: “If at this time, you are still seated, you have likely underestimated your role, please stand and know that you helped unify us. Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, the Unified and Champion Class of 2023.”

In his address to the graduates, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick C. Daly noted the amazing possibilities being created by technological developments such as tools like AI’s ChatGPT, but he also implored them not to deny themselves the opportunity to remain “authentic.”

“…this is actually a call to action for us to all deeply consider what it truly means to be authentic. I’ve come to realize that it’s not about whether AI will be another content provider of art that will be indistinguishable from what is created by humans. It’s about each one of us choosing to never deny ourselves the opportunity to create,” Daly said. “My advice to the graduating class, go to those big concerts at Gillette Stadium, but don’t miss out on the invitations to the small coffee houses where someone just gathered enough courage to take the stage after perfecting a ballad in his dorm room…

“…Handwrite a note to someone. It will be appreciated more than you know. Spend quality time with your parents and grandparents, your brothers and sisters. You’re going to make new friends but no one will ever replace the family that surrounds you today,” Daly advised. “Set aside your devices and look at one another, and not through the lens of a camera. Run the marathon– but go for walks by yourself in the morning before anyone else is up.”

 

 

In her address to her classmates, honor essayist Caroline Huntress struck a similar theme. While encouraging them to seek out opportunities to push themselves to excel in their chosen fields, she cautioned against losing perspective and risking burnout. “Wherever life takes you next year, find that balance. Work to make every word of that paper perfection but still say yes to getting crumbl on a random Wednesday. Give your full effort and attention to your job but then spontaneously go to Portsmouth and eat ice cream as it drips down to your elbows. Study tirelessly for that dreadful organic chemistry test but then go to your best friend’s house for homemade pasta with their family. That cheesy expression, you can have your cake and eat it too, it does apply. There is always a balance to be found,” Huntress said.

Honor essayist Jonathan Park kept things light even when he was describing those tough moments when he struggled to get the result he wanted. “I stand here as an ‘honors scholar’ today, but I’m facing you not as any kind of special or superior person. I’d like to speak to you simply as Jonathan Park, a friend and peer. I’d also like to say that I may have looked like a capable student, but I want all of you to know that I was on the same boat as everyone else. As many of you can attest, my signature catch phrase this year was ‘I’m gonna pass away.’ Any time I was drowning under homework, tests, or projects (so basically all the time) I’d be like ‘Dude, I’m gonna pass away,’” he recalled.

But having friends, family and classmates to rely up for support during those tough times made all the difference in the world. “I’m so thankful that I got to meet all of you. I’m gonna be honest, there were times when I wasn’t happy, when school and life were so tough I wanted to throw everything away and run far far away. And I’m sure that everyone here has felt the same way at some point, with the challenges of hybrid learning, grinding through SATs and college applications, and balancing our studies with sports and our social lives,” Park said. “But despite all that, I firmly believe that I’m the person I am today because I was surrounded by the absolutely wonderful people at NRHS. With all that, there’s only one thing left for me to say: North Reading High School, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!”

Honor essayist Ethan Soroko noted with amazement all of the accomplishment made by the Class of 2023 in the past two years – many of which are emblazoned on the Welcome to North Reading signs throughout town, such as the school’s first-ever football state championship title, the boys’ and girls’ track team, and cheering team – plus all the “hardware” won by the arts programs, from Masquers and NOTEorious to the bands and chorus and all of the volunteer hours students in the various clubs have contributed to the betterment of their community.

But Soroko stressed that as they graduate today they will be commencing their new lives – and a new beginning, with new challenges to face and accomplishments to make. “So to answer my question about what we are going to do with this new beginning, it’s to show the world what we as Hornets are capable of doing. Keep putting in the incredible effort that we have all been putting into our work to make the planet a better place. But I’d also like to challenge you all. Throughout the next few years of your life, I’d like you all to try something new. Try something that scares you. Try something difficult that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Try something that you never could have predicted yourself doing,” he advised, adding, “And most importantly, find and do the things that you love. Find the things that bring you happiness. Surround yourself with those who bring you joy and support you. I know not every single one of you knows exactly what you want your future to look like and that is perfectly okay. Today marks a new beginning full of limitless possibilities to explore and discover new things.”

Class essayist Annie Kuperstein used sunflowers as the theme for her message to her classmates. “Our high school experience was not typical. But the pandemic taught us we can persevere, and even thrive in the face of adversity and change. Like a sunflower, we kept growing despite the storm, and when the rain was over, we found the light and faced the sun. We adapted to change. And now, we are here today, in the brightest light there could be, to walk across the stage for our graduation,” she said.

“Before we accept our diplomas, take a moment to look around. You are surrounded by so many bright and beautiful people that have extraordinary talents – students, athletes, artists, and performers. These are your sunflowers. Look out at the audience. These are your stems – your teachers, your family, anyone who has helped you get here today and wave to them. Although you may not believe you need it anymore, accept their help – they will always be there for you. Finally, look at yourself. You did it! You made it through the rain. The sun is shining bright upon you. Class of 2023, remember you are like a sunflower, strong, bright, and beautiful!” Kuperstein said.

 

 

After the scholarships and awards were announced, Assistant Principal BarriAnn Alonzo announced the names of each graduate as they accepted their diplomas from School Committee Chair Scott Buckley and were congratulated by Daly and Loprete.

The class officers, President Alex Carucci, Vice President Anne Kuperstein, Secretary Mason Murray and Treasurer Ty Rich went to the podium together to offer their thanks to the community that mentored and supported them throughout their lives.

“Today, as we bid farewell to our high school years, do not forget the invaluable contributions of remarkable individuals who helped pave the way for us. Their dedication, passion and their commitment have been the driving force behind our achievements. They have shaped us into the resilient, compassionate and ambitious individuals that we have become,” Murray said.

Rich announced a two-part class gift of a new photography backdrop for the high school and donations to the Middle School and the Batchelder, Hood and Little elementary schools to be used to support the youth of the town and its in-school clubs and extracurricular activities to help ensure the younger generation in town has the same opportunities they were provided to find their passions and flourish.

“We hope that that gift will create more opportunities for future students and highlight the community values this class has displayed for four years,” Rich said.

“Class of 2023 we have definitely made our mark on NRHS,” Kuperstein said. “During these four years we have discovered ourselves, determined our future aspirations and have worked to make NRHS a better place than when we began. Now please rise together as we move our tassels from right to left to symbolize moving on from high school and stepping into the next phase of our lives. Now, for the moment you have all be waiting for for the past four years. Congratulations Class of 2023. Let’s throw our caps.